Relieving back pain with a posture shirt

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Experts say that 80 percent of Americans will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. Back pain costs more than $7 billion a year in lost productivity. People will do just about anything to relieve it. Here's a solution that doesn't involve drugs or surgery.

Andy Shane can clean his garage for the first time in 12 years thanks to his posture shirt. It's designed to hold his muscles in place.

"With the posture shirt, now, I'm able to do these chores for as long as it takes pain free," Andy Shane told ABC30.

Andy was born with cerebral palsy. He's always been an athlete, but over time, he developed terrible lower back pain.

"Pain," said Shane, "sharp pain."

Orthopedic surgeon Michael Hisey has also tried the posture shirt. He thinks it has a future preventing injury.

"Not even knowing what it was called, I put it on, said, you know what this does, it makes me sit up straight, makes me feel more comfortable when I'm having good posture," Michael Hisey, M.D., Orthopedic Surgeon specializing in spine surgery at the Texas Back Institute told ABC30.

Here's how it works: the fabric in the shirt acts like tape to hold the muscles in place, while they move naturally.

"This doesn't force them as much as it stimulates them into the proper position," Jason Brewton, director of physical therapy at Texas Back Institute told ABC30.

For Andy, the posture shirt means more honey do's around the house.

"So now I don't have any excuse," said Shane.

He also gets to enjoy long walks with his dog, Leo and then relax, pain-free.

Andy Shane bought his posture shirt online for about $100. There are a few different companies offering the shirt, which are being used by weekend warriors, and even some pro athletes, with positive results.